Denmark-Norway

The Kingdom of Denmark-Norway, consisting of Denmark and Norway, including Norway's possessions Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands, is a term sometimes used instead of The Kingdom of Denmark for Denmark in 1536-1814. The term covers the "royal part" of the Oldenburgs' as it was in 1460, excluding the "ducal part" of Schleswig and Holstein.

In the aftermath of Sweden's definite secession from the Kalmar Union in 1521, civil war and Protestant Reformation followed in Denmark. When things had settled down, the Privy Council of Denmark was weakened, and that of Norway was abolished. Despite some legal differences, indicating a status for Norway as equal with the other lands of Denmark (such as Scania, Jutland and "the islands"), and a royal chancellor for Norway, the status of Norway during this period is more accurately defined as "a set of Danish provinces".

After the Napoleonic Wars Denmark was defeated and had to cede Norway proper to Sweden, formally effected at the Treaty of Kiel. Norway's overseas possessions were kept by Denmark.

Although unofficial, the term Denmark-Norway has didactic merits. Together with the equally dubious term Sweden-Finland as applied for the contemporary Swedish realm 1521-1809, it makes Scandinavian history easier to memorize:

• The heathen Scandinavians were christianized in the 11th-14th century, resulting in consolidated kingdoms with the same borders as the arch-bichoprics:
  • Denmark forged from the Lands of Denmark
  • Sweden forged from the Lands of Sweden
  • Norway with Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands
• The three kingdoms then united in the Kalmar Union lasting all of the 15th century.
• The Kalmar Union was split in two halves:
  • "Denmark-Norway" and
  • "Sweden-Finland".
• Three centuries later, Scandinavia was reorganized into three personal unions:
  • Denmark with Schleswig-Holstein (split in 1864)
  • Sweden with Norway (split in 1905)
  • Russia with the Grand Duchy of Finland (split in 1917)